Author Archive

Don’t forget that as a part of the Works Cited show (up in the gallery until May 11!), you can donate books to the Books for Kids Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in NYC, whose mission is to promote literacy among all children with a special emphasis on low-income and at risk preschool-aged children. For each book donated, myplasticheart will offer the donator 10% off his/her next purchase in store on day of donation. Acceptable donations are brand new, hardcover books appropriate for children ages 0 – 6. For more book guidelines, please contact myplasticheart at (646) 290-6866. Book donations accepted until May 31.

This foundation will make sure to get books to the kids who really need them, so in honor reading, doing something good, and of the recent national library week (April 13 – 19, 2014), donate a book today!

You can also view and purchase the artwork from the Works Cited show online.

Today we’re previewing the artwork of Evoker and Flying Fortress for the upcoming Works Citedgroup exhibition opening this Friday, April 11 from 6 – 9pm. Evoker’s work is up first, and he grew up reading books based on cartoons and comics, which is evident in his stylized work. Oh yeah, he also loves skateboarding!

Master of the spray can, Flying Fortress pays tribute to the character Jim Button by Michael Ende, a very popular writer from Germany.

Thanks to Evoker and Flying Fortress and thanks to you for checking out this preview!

Today we’re previewing the work of Naoko Stoop and Paul Shih for the upcoming Works Citedgroup exhibition opening this Friday, April 11 from 6 – 9pm. Naoko’s work is up first, and is based on her book Red Knit Cap Girl, which was named one of The New York Times’ Best Illustrated Books in 2012.

About the work, Naoko says, “Living in New York City, it can be hard to see the beautiful night sky shining above the city lights. I was inspired to create this story after participating in Earth Hour, an event that encourages people to turn off the lights for an hour. Turning off the lights allowed me to sit quietly and appreciate the beautiful natural world and sky around me, beyond the light and noise of the city. No matter where we live, we can enjoy the beauty of the moon and stars shining above in the quiet darkness of the night, just like Red Knit Cap Girl and her friends.”

Creator of the Doo Doo Diving app and New Zealand-based toy designer & artist Paul Shih’s work comes from his recollection of a Japanese folktale from his childhood.

Paul says: “My piece is inspired by Momotaro, a Japanese folk tale about a boy who was born from a giant peach, and his journey of fighting monsters in a distant island, where he met some new animal friends who helped Momotaro in his quest. It’s one of most unique and creative children’s stories I’ve read, and probably the most memorable one, as there are all sorts of products for it, I was really into it when I was a kid, remember saw the Momotaro movie, cartoon, played its own video game, and even till today I still check out its ever growing related products.”

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Thanks to Naoko Stoop and Paul Shih and thanks to you for checking out this preview!

If you’d like to see the full show before the opening, please email us at previewme@myplasticheart.com to be added to the preview list.

We’re so excited to share with you previews this week in anticipation of the upcoming exhibition, Works Cited, opening this Friday, April 11 from 6 – 9pm. Up first is the artwork of husband and wife team, Apak, whose work for this show is inspired by the intimacy of story time. Look closely and the details of this beautiful scene evoke the peacefulness surrounding a time well spent with a good book.

Next up is Chris RWK’sWhere the Wild Things Are inspired work. About the work he says, “I don’t remember a lot of books from when I was a kid. I do remember comics and cartoons. One book that does and will always stick out in my mind is Maurice Sendak’s ‘Where the Wild Things Are’. I’m sure this book meant a lot to a lot of people, but I will always feel like it’s my story. It has such amazing illustrations. I remember years later seeing the cartoon version on PBS and I was hooked again. The book would also pop up throughout my life as if it was meant to be there. Still I feel like Max wanting to get away.”

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Thanks to Apak and Chris RWK and thanks to you for checking out this preview!

If you’d like to see the full show before the opening, please email us at previewme@myplasticheart.com to be added to the preview list.

We’re excited to share with you previews this week in anticipation of the upcoming exhibition, Works Cited, opening this Friday, April 11 from 6 – 9pm. Up first is the work of Brian Butler, who redrew the cover of RL Stine’s The Haunted Mask, an early book from the Goosebumps series.

About the work Brian says, “I drew it because at least once a year, around Halloween, I think of the story. I used to go into seasonal spook shops in the mall and basically try on every single mask. I’d roar or yell in different voices and try to scare my younger brother. A shriek from my brother could only be attributed to the design of the mask, as I was indifferent to the use of surprise, and would pop up with different faces with assembly line precision. My grandfather would grow impatient with my costume charades, and try to save my sibling by derailing my experiment with logic. ‘Do you know how many other kids put on those masks?’ he’d say, ‘If just one kid sneezed in that mask before you, it will make you sick.’ I’d be unfazed, all I would hear is ‘You are behind on your research. Everyone else already conducted this experiment on their younger brother.'”

“Fortunately for my test subject brother, I eventually read The Haunted Mask, and it changed my perspective. My excitement to try on every mask in the spook shop became a cautious gamble with one or two masks. And even those wouldn’t fully be put on my head, for fear that they’d wrap and fuse to my face, leaving me a grotesque troll, bound to live in a cave forever. RL Stine wrote an effective book that haunts me to this day. I was certainly a fan of the entire Goosebumps series, but that story in particular stuck with me.”

Thanks to Brian for sharing the backstory to this fantastic piece!

If you’d like to see the full show before the opening, please email us at previewme@myplasticheart.com to be added to the preview list.